Circuit-closing device.



E. PAUL.

CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE. APPUCATION mm APR. a. 19:6.

Patented Dec. 26; 1916.

Z6 25 Li Witnesss \4 Inventor mm y I I 0 Attorneys EDWARD PAUL, OF NEW IBBEMEN, OHIO.

CIRCUIT-CLOSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed April 3, 1916. Serial No. 88,858. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PAUL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bremen, in the county of Auglaize and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Circuit-Closing Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to circuit closers, and aims to provide a novel and improved circuit closer adapted especially for use in electric street lighting systems wherein a plurality of are lamps are connected in series, one of the present circuit closing devices being connected in parallel with each arc lam and its drop wires, in order to close the circuit by way of a shunt, if either or both of the drop wires become broken or the arc lamp fails, thus permitting the other are lamps to be lighted.

It is not infrequently the case, with street lighting systems, that the drop wires break, due to the frequent bending thereof, when the lamps are raised and lowered, and when the drop wires are swung by winds, and should one or more drop wires become broken, this ordinarily will prevent the entire series of lamps from being lighted.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive yet thoroughly eflicacious device adapted to be connected in parallel with the drop wires and are lamp, and having suflicient resist- I ance to the passage of an electrical current,

whereby the current will pass through the lamp under ordinary conditions, but should one or both of the drop wires break or the arc lamp fail, a current can flow through the present device so as to be shunted past the drop wires and lamp, in order that the current can traverse the other lamps.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a circuit closing device of the nature indicated which consists of but few parts, the parts of which can be readily separated and replaced, and which will serve its oflice in a thoroughly practical and efficient manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the. invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

and the electrical conductors and lamp being illustrated diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, portions being shown insection.

In carryingout the invention, there is provided a base or slab 1 of porecelain or other insulating material, which is, provided adjacent its ends with a pair of studs 2 adapted to pass outwardly through the bottom or other part of a caslngvor box 3 which houses the device. This casing or box 3 can be constructed of iron or other suitable material for protecting the device from the elements, a ortion only of the casing or box beings own in Fig. 1. The base 1 has apertures 4 through which screws 5 are passed to threadedly engage the box 3 for clamping the base 1 in place, and the studs 2 and base 1 are provided with apertures 6 for the reception of the terminals 7 of a pair of leaders or conductors 8 which are connected with the line wires or conductors 9 adjacent their supporting insulators 10 from which the drop wires 11 extend to the arc lamp 12.

Attached to that side of the base 1 opposite the studs 2, are metallic plates 13 which are secured to the base by means of screws 14 or otherwise, and which are provided with posts 15 havin apertures 16 receiving the terminals 7. get screws'17 are threaded into the posts 15 to clamp the terminals 7 therein, whereby to electrically connect the leaders 8 with the posts 15. Said posts are provided with slots 18 extending from their free ends.

The circuit closing device proper is mounted between the posts 15, and embodies a pair of metallic members 19 having flat blades or tongues 20 projecting therefrom away from each other and adapted to be inserted snugly within the slots 18, to electrically connect said members 19 with the posts 15. Alinin rods or bolts 21 have their remote ends t readed into the members 19, and are provided at their adjacent ends with heads or disks 22 whose faces are located close together but are spacedapart slightly to provide an air gap therebetween,

terial which surrounds which provides for a higher resistance to the flow of the current, than is produced by the air gap of the arc lamp 12. Tubular insulators 23 of porcelain or other insulating material are mounted above the rods 21 between the members 19 and heads 22, and are held snugly between said parts when the rods 21 are threaded into the members 19.

The heads 22 are separated by means of a washer 241: disposed therebetween and composed of mica or equivalent insulating mathe gap between the heads 22. This washer 24: is of proper thickness to regulate the gap.

Each insulator or insulating sleeve 23 is provided between its ends with outstanding diametrically opposite lugs 25 having apertures 26 parallel with the bore of the sleeve. The apertures 26 of the two sleeves 23 are in alinement, and guide rods 27 extend therethrough to guide the sleeves and accompanying parts for straight line movement toward and away from one another, and prevent the parts from relative rotation. The rods 27 have collars 28 bearing against one pair of lugs 25, and nuts 29 are threaded upon certain terminals of the rods 27 and lear against said lugs 25, to fasten the rods rigidly thereto, while the rods slide through the apertures 26 of the other pair of lugs.

In order to yieldingly move the parts toward one another, the ends of the lugs 25 have reduced extensions 30 provided with notches 31 for the engagement of the ends of a pair of coiled wire retractile springs 32, which connect the two sleeves 23, to pull them toward. one another by spring tension, whereby to hold the heads 22 adjacent one another with the washer 2 1 clamped therebetween. This prevents the washer 2 1 from being displaced.

The air gap provided between the heads 22 by the washer 24, provides greater resistance than is produced in the lamp 12, whereby the current flowing along the line wires 9, will always traverse the lamp 12, when in working order, but should one or both of the drop wires 11 break or the lamp 12 fail, for any reason whatever, so that current will no longer flow through the lamp 12, the current can pass through the present device in order to shunt the lamp and enable the current to flow through the other lamps of the series without interruption. /Vhen one of the drop wire breaks, or an equivalent condition occurs, the current will flow through the shunt including the leaders 8, terminals 7 thereof, posts 15, members 19, and rods 21 and their heads 22, the current jumping across the air gap between said heads 22. Although the air gap between the heads 22 is sufficient to afford greater resistance than is offered by the lamp 12, said air gap is of such proportions that the current can arc across same when compelled to as above indicated.

The members 19 and parts therebetween can be readily removed from the posts 15 as a unit, and said device can be readily applied to and removed from said posts in the manner ot a knife switch. The springs 32 draw the parts together, but the parts can be sepa rated to enable the faces of the heads 22 to be cleaned, and a new washer 2 1 disposed therebetween, to rei'nedy any defects caused by the arcing of the current between the heads.

The several parts of the device can be readily separated for purpose of cleaning, repair or inspection, and the device can be readily applied to the cross arm or pole which supports the drop wires 11.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A circuit closing device embodying a base having a pair of posts, a pair of members having blades engageable with said posts, parts carried by said members having portions adjacent one another to provide an arc gap therebetween, a spring connecting said members for drawing said parts toward one another, and an insulating member disposed between said portions to separate them.

2. A circuit closing device embodying a pair of members, rods attached thereto and having heads at their adjacent ends, insulating sleeves upon said rods between said heads and members, spring means connecting said sleeves for drawing them toward one another, and an insulating member disposed between said heads to separate them and provide an arc gap.

3. A circuit closing device embodying a base, a pair of posts carried thereby having slots, a pair of members having blades engageable in said slots, a pair of rods attached to said members and projecting toward one another, said rods having heads at their adjacent ends, insulating sleeves upon said rods between said members and heads, an insulating washer between said heads, and spring means connecting said sleeves for drawing them toward one another.

4:. A circuit closing device embodying a pair of members, rods attached thereto and having heads at their adjacent ends, an insulating member disposed between said heads,

insulating sleeves upon said rods between said heads and members, means connecting said sleeves for guiding them for straight line movement toward and away from one another and preventing the relative rotation thereof, and spring means connecting said sleeves for drawing them toward one another.

5. A circuit closing device embodying a pair of members, a pair of rods attached thereto and having heads at their adjacent ends, an insulating washer between said another and to prevent the relative rotation heads, insulating sleeves upon said rods beof said sleeves, and retractile springs contween said heads and members, said sleeves nected to said lugs for drawing the sleeves 10 having opposite outstanding lu guide rods toward one another.

attached to certain lugs and sli able through In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the others to guide said sleeves for straight my own, I have hereto affixed my signature. line movement toward and away from one EDWARD PAUL.

copies of this potent my be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

